Everything Under Heaven
by Mysterie1985
Summary: Sequel to It Becomes Thee [3rd installment]
1. Poisoned Shadows

Shadow had promised Jakul that she'd allow him this. After all, she had gotten to enjoy Jack's company though perhaps not in the way the other "shadow" had thought. Which was now why she was standing patiently in the closet of the teen who had yet to come home; she had spent hours setting up things to ensure that the boy would be alone in the house... His mother was off on some business trip and his younger sister off sleeping over at a friend's for the night. Jamie arrived home from school, having been , smiling as he wet to get himself something to eat; unaware of the two intruders. A soft smile tugged at her lips at the sound of the boy downstairs. She sent out a bit of sand to move the snow globe that the boy used to summon the Guardians. She slid it out of sight beneath the boy's bed, not thinking about whether or not he'd notice it missing on the night stand where it usually was. Jamie hummed a tune as he went up stairs to his room with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He glanced at his math homework, accidentally writing Jack's name next to 2 = 4; he couldn't help but think about the snow days Jack had brought and he was concerned now that he hadn't heard from Jack in a week. Shadow slipped from the closet as the boy was distracted by his homework, she stood behind the door which was now half open, she would let the boy eat... He would need his strength after all; she murmured inwardly so only Jakul could hear her soothing words, she could sense he was becoming impatient and eager to test the body she'd given him.

**"Patience my dear... patience... the boy needs his strength first."** Two minutes later Jamie had finished his sandwich, though he hadn't gotten any where on his homework; he stood up from the desk, preparing to take his empty plate downstairs when he sensed that something was off about his room, he looked around and turned to see that there was a book out of place. Setting the plate back on his desk he moved over to fix it. Shadow rolled her eyes, knowing that Jakul had moved from the closet to toy with the boy by moving the book; still, it was the perfect time now and she pushed her hand on the door. It swung shut, the click rather ominous in the slice that had persisted. It was dusk now, the sun nearly having sank all the way beneath the horizon. Sand poured from her and sealed the door shut, it slid over all the surfaces of the room as the boy was whirling around to face her. The sand blocked out the moon and locked the window; all but plunging the room into pitch darkness as the only light came from the lamp in the teen's room. Jamie looked around in slight fear.

"Who's there?!" He he yelled into the darkness, gasping as he felt something rough brush by him and he turned around only to be pushed into the wall by the bed, being held by Jakul. The teen gasped, eyes wide.

"Y-you! I th-thought we got r-rid of you!" Jakul chuckled.

"You can't get rid of something like me. I doubt Jack would let that happen as he still has some darkness in him, always will no matter what." Shadow chuckled.

**"Really now Jamie... There's a darkness in you too... don't deny it. I can sense it... I know all the wishes of your heart as we all the dark desires that lay within... Jakul could not simply be rid of anymore than you could part with your own feelings."** Black sand whipped out and snagged the boy's limbs to keep him from lashing out at Jakul as she felt that the boy would do so if given the chance. Jamie gasped in pain as Jakul summoned ice to collar him with, the frost bitting into his neck.

"S-stop." He gasped out as Jakul traced his stomach with one hand, smirking at the boy's reaction to his touch. Shadow made a "tsking" sound.

**"Now Jakul... don't put too much cold in the collar... You'll freeze him to death before you have your fun."** Jamie's eyes widened with an untouched innocence.

"Aww... okay." Jakul eased up on the coldness of the collar, smiling as Jamie look at him in slight fear, knowing that the two had the upper hand against him. Shadow noticed the boy's look of innocence and nearly laughed.

**"Now isn't this precious? He's purposely forgotten that night we were stopped... Why don't we refresh his memory Jakul..."** She chuckled darkly, amber eyes flashing with delight as sand strands formed near the two and worked quickly enough to rid the boy of his clothes. Jamie whimpered at the lack of clothing, feeling self conscious at being exposed. Jakul chuckled at the boy's obvious shyness and licked his lips.

"Oh Jamie... you look absolutely delectable... maybe just a taste."

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Tears fell from Jamie's eyes, he was terrified at what the two would do to him and at the same time he couldn't believe he'd taken pleasure in that act as he had. Jakul smiled and turned his eyes to Shadow, not needing to speak - the two bonded as they were - to indicate that it was her turn to play with the teen. She smirked and nodded a little before moving forward. As that night before... the one Jamie didn't seem to remember - or didn't want to, her hands on him were gentle and seductively teasing, each touch meant to arouse as delicate touches of her fingers became light grazing with nails when she found where he was sensitive on his torso. She didn't go below his waist yet; taking her time.

Jamie couldn't help but gasp in pleasure though he tried desperately to keep quiet.

"P-please s-stop!" He cried out, he shook his head in shame, unable to believe that any of this was happening.

"Shadow, can I try a toy yet? Maybe the small one... please?" Jakul pleaded, making a small icicle that looked about as big as a cucumber. Shadow smiled at Jakul.

**"Yes of course! The small one, mind you... remember what I said about easing him into it... Oh, and not breaking him..."** With a flick of her wrist the sand bonds pulled Jamie onto the bed, wrapping around his ankles to pin him down but also to allow them easy access to any part of his body that they wished. Jamie's eyes widened at the sight of the icicle and he struggled vigorously to be free from the sand bonds.

"STOP! NO!" His protests were ignored as Jakul shifted to one side of the bed, Shadow the other.

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Shadow stepped back a bit to watch Jakul toy with the boy.

**"Ah... what a beautiful sight the two of you make... A shame we can't show up on film or I'd take a picture to take back to Jack..."** Jakul smirked.

"Don't worry, I can send him everything by our link later. Oh how delicious it will be to see his face when he sees this..."

**"Oh yes... I'd forgotten that... Mmmm... Well, be sure to capture it all. Oh... but don't get my part in this... after all... I have to be there to "comfort poor Jackie..."** Jakul smirked.

"Of course." Shadow pulled out a toy that was slightly larger by only a few centimeters, it was sand that was coated by Jakul's ice.

**"I think it's time to try this one..."** She smirked.

**"It should make him nice and loose for you..."** Jamie screamed at the sight of it, tears falling fast.

"Please let me go!" He cried, fear surging through him even as his body ached for what he knew would come.

"Ooh yes, that's so beautiful Jamie... Make more of those delicious screams for us." Jakul said as he felt his own need pressing against his pants, begging to be attended to. Shadow smiled.

**"Oh... I'm sure he will do better than that once you've properly claimed him..."**

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**"P-please... n-no m-more..."** He gasped, unable to deny the pleasure even though he didn't want it from these two. Shadow chuckled.

"I think he's almost ready for you." Jakul smiled.

"Good, I can barely hold myself back right now."

**"Just a moment more..."** She smirked, carefully watching Jamie's body's reactions to the toy. The teen groaning from the pleasure.

**"I believe he's just right now..." **Jakul smirked, looking into Jamie's fearful, lusted eyes as the teen shook his head in denial as Jakul slipped from his clothes and the toy disappeared as Jakul crawled over the boy. He smirked as he looked down at the boy.

"Just think of Jack, like always, doing this to you Jamie. I know that's how you feel about him, correct?" Tears fell like rivers as the teen shook.

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Shadow grinned, deciding to make it more fun by blinding the teen with sand made into a blind fold.

**"Now if you just talk in his voice..."** She purred suggestively to Jakul, knowing that the other could perfectly mimic Jack's voice; he had been Jack's darker half after all. Jakul smirked and did just that.

"Jamie." He murmured in Jack's voice, causing the teen to gasp; thinking that Jack was around, but also to struggle more. Shadow purred quietly, so that only Jakul heard her.

**"There you go... What a good boy he is..."** The boy squirmed beneath him, screaming in pleasure.

"Who do you love Jamie? Who is it you want inside you?" Jamie screamed out Jack's name.

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"That was gooood... I can't wait to show Jack!" Shadow smirked, sprinkling dream sand on Jamie so that the youth falls asleep as the rest of the sand returns to her.

**"Sweet dreams Jamie..."** She snickered and turned to Jakul.

**"After you Jakul... and don't worry if he freezes your sand body... it won't last too much longer anyway."** Jakul smirked and flew out of the room on the south wind, light as a feather as he headed off to where he knew his frost spirit was while Shadow disappeared into a nearby shadow to return to Pitch's lair to await Jakul's return with news of Jack's reaction. Jack was sleeping in the nook of a tree, his arms crossed, hoodie up, slightly alert as he held his staff tightly despite being asleep; he was sleeping sitting up against the top of the trunk, his ears open for attack. Jakul snickered when he found Jack.

"Oh, how peaceful he looks... let's change that." Jakul hovered before Jack and touched his forehead lightly, dark frost spreading from it and Jack cringed in pain; at the first few images of the "memory" Jack cried out for Jamie. His eyes snapped open and he looked around, seeing nothing for a moment.

"How did you like the memories Jack?" Jack's confusion and fear from what he'd just seen turned to pure, absolute rage and the wind picked up, becoming a strong blizzard that pulled Jakul into the vortex.

"Oh shit." Is all Jakul can say before Jack slams into him, repeatedly pouching him. Jack grabbed the other by his collar, choking him as they tussle but Jack was blinded by his rage. Jakul mentally called for Shadow, needing her help.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU, YOU BASTARD!" Jack screamed above the howling of the wind as the rage in him grew tenfold, his eye becoming nothing but white orbs as the ice Jack had summoned crept into daggers along Jack's skin, cutting into Jakul; Jakul found he was unable to control any of it because it was only reacting to Jack's rage against him. Jakul felt the response from Shadow and just laughed as his body began to fall apart, but it's not painful as he begins crumbling into black sand.

"Pleasant dreams... Jack." Jakul was soon back with Shadow, who was waiting for his essence to return to her where he had made his home since Mysterie had made the decision to draw Jakul into her.

Jack just felt confused now, he pulled out the message bottle he'd retrieved from the tree branch and looked at then looked at where Shadow had disappeared; he felt conflicted. He was a Guardian, he should be with the other Guardians to protect the children of the world, but at the same time... What had they ever done for him other than ignore him and hurt the woman he'd come to love? Since the first time they'd met, Mysterie had been there for him, she had been mortal; of course she wasn't perfect, but what mortal was and he'd been mortal too before he'd been chosen as a Guardian. One of the things that had attracted him was her devotion to him, that she had been there for him like no one else had and he found he could tell her things that he hadn't even told Jamie. She had been old enough that she could understand him and she talked to him as an equal rather than as the child he looked to be. He knew that his life was better with her in it, but he couldn't just turn his back on his duties as a Guardian either. He looked at the teenager who was passed out beneath one of the trees; he felt darkness stirring in his heart even as he longed to help the heartbroken girl. All he had ever tried to do was gain believers, but what was the point if they grew up and stopped believing? If they turned their back on the Guardians and became like this girl who didn't even realize Jack was just a few feet away and was hurting just as she was? Jack growled in frustration and slammed the message into the ground without even bothering to read it; the tiny bottled shattered and the sand message inside was lost as he turned his back on it and began to search for Pitch's lair once more, this time with a purpose. In a room in the dark lair, Shadow ran a hand along the silk sheets; the same room that she had introduced Jack to, she sighed a moment before getting up and going to the throne room in search of Pitch for some company... However bad his company was it was better than nothing. Darkness stirred in her heart when her amber eyes met the silver ones of the Boogeyman as he sat on the throne. The slender shade merely opened his arms when he saw his queen and she crawled into his lap like a child to curl up against him, closing her eyes as he threaded grey toned fingers through her hair. Jakul snickered in her mind.

"Jack's back and he seems willing to kill something this time." Shadow don't respond but neither did Mysterie, Pitch smirks when he sees Jack. She turned her head to see Jack, her once amber eyes having returned to green; she was mid-motion of just starting to turn towards him when Pitch seemed to want to break Jack's bond with her and swooped in before she could react, pressing his warm lips to hers. Green eyes widen in shock, Jack's eyes went wide as well, his heart breaking in half then and there. He turned away as Pitch finished the brief kiss, Jack's brilliant icy eyes dulling and becoming lifeless as what darkness that remained in him began to slowly consume him. Jack prepared to call the wind, but couldn't as Nightmare grabbed his staff and Jack glared at the thing as it screeched in laughter and he gave chase.

"HEY! GIVE IT BACK!" Mysterie jerked back from Pitch and slapped him hard, but the Boogeyman just laughed.

"Oh... that was SO worth it..." He nearly purred even as she screamed at him in pure rage as she flung herself from his lap. The Nightmares nearby converge on Pitch at her silent command as she flew away from him, leaving the shade to scream in pure horror as she forced Jakul to release the bond so she can find Jack. Jakul grumbled, but he released his hold immediately and she chased after Jack, unaware of the Nightmare that had, on its own violation, snagged his staff in order to keep him close to her. The Nightmare tossed its head playfully, dancing just out Jack's reach; acting much like a puppy that wanted to play. Jack thought it was sort of cute, seeing the Nightmare act like an overgrown puppy, but he was also annoyed at the thing because he needed his staff.

"Come on little fella, give me my staff back and I promise we'll play. Just... come on." Jack jumped for it only to miss as it danced away, nickering at him as its form of a snicker.

"GIVE IT BACK!" It nickered at him again and stood in his face, but when Jack went to grab it he was kicked into a tree by one of the larger Nightmares that, had he not known any better, he would think was the little one's mother; the larger Nightmare snorted at Jack in anger, ready to kill him.

"Please, not the face!" Jack said, covering his face as the Nightmare reared to strike him with her hooves. Just as she was about to land the blow, however, she exploded from a spear of silver sand; Mysterie stood a few feet away. The Nightmare holding his staff froze as she spun around and scowled at it. It dropped the staff, ducking its head. For a moment Jack just stares at her, his eyes wide and filled with confusion but then it slowly disappears behind a neutral mask as he walks over to her and grabs his staff; when he meets her eyes again sadness slips through his mask as he turned to leave.

"Thanks, I guess you taught me what it means to have a broken heart. I'm sorry if I broke yours." Jack said quietly, but not so that she couldn't hear it.

"I'm sorry Jack... I never meant for this to happen..." She closed her eyes, shuddering from the pain from the both of them.

"I.. I cannot mend the rift... I wish I could... That things could be as they were... Even in darkness... I cannot hurt you." She yanked the black cowl over her head in attempt to hide the tears that she could no longer stop. Jack sighed as he turned back to her and closed the distance between them, he hugged her close*

"I never wanted to leave you. I care too much for you Mysterie." He wiped away her tears, leaving freezing tracks along her face even as Jakul growled.

"Damn, I don't want to be here much really. I want to be back where I belong, with Jack." He sighs, whining like a baby. Mysterie buried her head against Jack as Shadow shushes Jakul, having retreated from control the moment Pitch had decided to steal a kiss.

"M-mysterie..." Jack gasped as he felt pain from behind, not noticing the Fearling wolf that had taken a bite out of him and that they were surrounded by them. She wrapped her arms around him, only now noticing them and lashing out in pure anger at the wolves; they snarl but her sand is quicker than they are and each one that dares to get close ends up like the first... decimated. Blood and a purple liquid stained the wound. He felt like he was falling into darkness as his vision is tunneled, he gave her a tired smile.

"Mysterie... I love you." He collapsed into her, silver sand swirled around the two of them in a storm; she was angry beyond anything as she wrapped him in sand and took off for the North Pole; the only place she could think of though she knew that she risked bringing the ire of the Guardians on her head, she didn't care. She burst into the infirmary and barked orders at a confused yeti who was checking the supplies. The yeti shook with fear and complied with her demands without question. She lay Jack on a bed on his side, looking for the wound; the silver sand was keeping most of the poison from spreading, but she knew that she needed to do more than that. She just wasn't sure that she should until... she looked up at the yeti who had gotten the bandages for her.

"Get the Guardians... I don't know what will happen when I..." She shuddered, knowing how risky this was going to be. Jack groaned in pain, wanting it to go away; the yeti nodded and headed to get the Guardians as Jack breathed heavily and began to have trouble breathing as nightmares grew in his mind, terrifying ones, as the poison spread. Seeing that the poison was spreading despite her efforts... She didn't wait for the Guardians to appear. She pressed her hand against the wound, ignoring the blood, and plunged into the plane of dreams to deal with the Nightmares head-on... Knowing too well that they would latch onto her the moment she was there; that they would chase her because she was a true threat to them and like attracted like...


	2. Day Break

Jack ran from a darker version of himself, the figure had a black hoodie and hair an even darker black; eyes as purple as velvet silk.

"You can't escape Jack! You know you want to destroy them! Why not give in?!" The Nightmare called even as it shot black ice at Jack who dodged.

"SHUT UP!" He shot at the dark figure. The dream changed suddenly from that and this time Jack saw that he was the one killing the Guardians, blood was everywhere. Bunny's corpse started talking.

"You did this Frost, we bloody never shoulda trusted you!" Jack dropped his staff as the blood from the icy blade had grown at the end; it was covered in the Guardians' blood. Their bodies were bloodily impaled in many places as the corpses rose and staggered towards Jack.

"No... I..."

"It's all your fault!" North's corpse cried out. Mysterie broke out running towards the group when she saw them, the bloodied Guardians suddenly spun around as they sensed her. She looked like a black light, the aura around her such a color... It was the darkness in her pulsing and calling out to the dark figures. They staggered towards her.

"Yyyoooouuuu..." The corpse that looked like Bunny hissed and Mysterie yelped as a shot of black ice from nearby sent her skidding right towards them and they reached out of her. She shot out silver sand, trying to protect herself from the dark figures. When Jack saw her, he gasped and ran towards her, swinging his staff at the black figures as the black Tooth hissed.

"You're a failure Frost. you killed us and you're just going to hurt her again!" Jack's fighting stance staggered which gave the dark version of himself a chance to tackle him and pin him down.

"Just give in! You can't deny the truth."

"Stop! I know you're n-not real but figments of my worst fears!" The figures growled as they closed in on him, the figures of North and Tooth cornered Mysterie. Jack saw it and soothing in him snapped. Jack let out a scream in a burst of anger and power exploded from him at the figures. Their eyes widened to saucers as beams of light exploded from him and they hissed in pain before disintegrating into dust. Mysterie blinked, forced to shield her eyes from the sudden light; she quivered from the blast as the darkness inside her shrieked from the light, sending jolts of pain through her.

Jack gasped awake, shaking from the pain in his lower back that shot up his spine. He looked around, confused to see Mysterie slumped in a chair next to the bed.

"M-mysterie?" She groaned, slowly coming to; having passed out from the jolting pain.

"I... I think I'm gonna be sick..." She wasn't, but she felt as if she was going to be; the pain coiling in her stomach and spreading out to her limbs. Jack groaned in protest of his aching wound.

"Mysterie... thanks for helping me." The Guardians arrive and stared at the two, Bunny was the least happy to see Mysterie while the yeti that had left them moved to tend to Jack's wound; Mysterie managed to whisper before passing out from the pain.

"Anything for you..." Jack could see the group advancing on her, three of them looking like they were ready to lock Mysterie up in seconds; anger burst through Jack like the poison that was slowly spreading through his body.

"STOP! Don't you _dare_ touch her!" Bunny shot Jack an angry look.

"Why should we? She's the reason you're in this mes-!" Jack growled at him and he stopped talking when he saw that Jack's eyes had turned a winter white with his power.

"This is ridiculous!" Tooth shouted and shot over towards Mysterie and picked her up; before Jack could do anything she zipped over and set her on a bed nearby, scowling at Bunny and North. Sandy seemed to be the only one to escape her scowl.

"Sandy! I thought you said you told them!" Sandy just looked a little sheepish. Jack sighed and looked at Sandy, wondering the same thing as pain hit him fast; the poison was still there and Jack clutched his stomach, hurling up blood. The Guardians gasped and Mysterie was forgotten for a while as they got to work. Jack tried to stay awake for it but Sandy put him under as they worked to purge the poison from him.


	3. Patients

Mysterie doesn't come around to the waking world until an hour later, her head throbbing, but she felt a lot better than she had when she'd passed out. She noticed that Jack had yet to waken, Sandy was busy dressing his wound, which had some how gotten bigger as they'd pulled the poison out. Mysterie whimpered a little, but pushed past the pain, rolling over to reach one hand out for Jack. Tooth yelped when Mysterie's hand suddenly contacted with her leg instead and Sandy signaled to push the two beds together before Mysterie rolled out of hers as she tried to find Jack blindly. Tooth and he push them together and Mysterie settled down again only when her hand managed to find one of Jack's, despite a hiss of pain from her. Jack grimaced in pain as the last of the poison was pulled out, but it seemed to ease when Mysterie's hand found his and a smile crossed his face as if he were awake and could see her. Mysterie sighed as sleep pulled her back once more into its warm embrace; Tooth chuckled a little as she shook her head at the two.

"Who would have thought?" Sandy shrugged with a small smile as they went back to work. North grumbled with good nature about the two taking up space in his infirmary while Bunny was content to stay away from the two of them; he'd had enough of being yelled at by the pair. Some time passed before Jack woke slowly, painfully.

"M-mysterie?" She stirred a little, but didn't wake.

"Jack?" Tooth fluttered over to him, her voice soft so not to disturb Mysterie's rest.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine Tooth." He looked at her concerned face and shook his head before looking over to Mysterie, focusing only on her. Tooth smiled, even though Jack didn't see it.

"You both have been out for days. We've been worried."

"I've been what?" Jack asked, his brain not registering that at the moment.

"I-is Mysterie g-gonna be okay?" Jack struggled to get up but regretted it immediately as it pulled at the stitches of his wound and he hissed in pain.

"Jack! You shouldn't be moving so much! You need to heal more before you can!"

"Sorry Tooth." Tooth held out a glass with some brown liquid in it that was very obviously not hot cocoa.

"Drink this, it might be a bit bitter but it will ease the pain. As for her... I wish I could tell you. She went in after you... She hasn't woken since... We don't know what happened to her. Only you know that and you've been out of it since you arrived here."

Jack sighed and nearly gagged on the brown medicine.

"God, Tooth! What's in that?!" She smiled.

"Oh, just a little bit of herbs Bunny brought mashed up with a little medicine." Jack looked over at Mysterie in a lot of worry. Tooth sighed a little.

"I know what she means to you... I'm sorry I didn't understand sooner. Sandy explained everything to us while you two were asleep." Guilt hit Jack hard.

"I should have realized what was around me instead of running off.." A tear fell from his cheek to Mysterie's hand that was holding his with more to follow. Tooth hugged him, minding his injury.

"We know sweet tooth, but she chose her path and I can tell she cares dearly for you. We'll try everything we can." Tooth brushed away his tears gently, worrying for him much as a mother would her child.

"Have faith in her Jack, she's come this far... She survived in taking in... whatever it was that was dragged from you. If anything, that should have driven her mad... but... it didn't." The fairy glanced over at the young light spirit, for that was what North had figured out that she was and it had finally made sense how she'd been able to weather her own darkness as well as Jack's. Manny had spoken to them too about her, about how she could be a powerful ally to them and had berated each of them for their lack of listening to Sandy who had been trying to explain to them about her for the last five years, but they had been too busy to notice; Tooth didn't mention that though as it had happened a couple of nights ago when Jack had still been out.

"I'm sure, given time... She'll be alright."

"I will Tooth. Now, when can I get out of here?" Tooth grimaced at him, knowing that he was a free spirit and didn't like to be kept in one place, but nonetheless he'd sustained a rather serious injury.

"Not for a while Jack. Your injury is quite serious for a wolf bite. In fact, let me check it." She carefully unwrapped the wound, putting a hand to her mouth to muffle the scream. It seemed worse than before; black veins grew from the bit that was now a black oozing, healing hole.

"Jack... are you okay? In any pain?" Jack shook his head only, the medicine she'd given him was working. Tooth sighed as she rewrapped the wound.

"The poison has done a number on you... even when we extracted it... The damage was... more than we knew. I don't think even her sand could have saved you had she not contained it like she had and even then it wouldn't have lasted much longer... You're alive because she confined the bulk of it to the entrance... but it will take time to heal and... I'd be surprised if you don't scar." Jack sighed, grunting in pain as he meant to roll a little to the left to feel more comfortable and the movement had caused his wound to twinge in pain.

"It's okay Tooth, I'll be back and about making it snow before you know it, but before that..." He growled. "Pitch is **so** dead when I get out of here." Tooth noticed how his eyes took on a white stormy pupils look when I said that; meaning he was beyond going to just hurt Pitch. He was going to kill the Boogeyman... regardless of how impossible doing so actually was. Tooth raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well, I certainly won't stop you there." The question of why he was that steamed at Pitch was in her eyes, but she didn't ask. Jack started coughing and he lost the strength he'd had from that feat and he closed his eyes in exhaustion.

"P-promise me Tooth that you'll try everything you can for her." Jack looked at Mysterie then turned to Tooth, eyes pleading. Tooth sighed.

"Jack... we don't even know what is wrong... She just... simply hasn't woken up. We've tried everything, but even Sandy is at a loss. Tell me... if you remember... what happened. Maybe it will give us some clue." Jack thought a moment, trying his hardest to remember but it only caused him a headache.

"I-I can't remember!" He shouted in frustration that became sadness instantly; how could he not remember the events that had caused all this? Tooth put a hand on his shoulder.

"I might be able to help you, but Jack... if you can't remember on your own... it ... it might hurt to do so." She bit her lip, not wanting to put him through anymore pain than he'd gone through.


	4. Memory of Pain

Jack sighed, thinking that he'd take the consequences. "I don't care how much it will hurt, just do it." He huffs in slight annoyance at himself. Tooth smiled a little. "I thought you might... which was why I had Bunny make his medicine dose a little stronger... Just... brace yourself." Tooth moved to hold Jack's head in her hands and pressed her forehead against his; closing her eyes as her wings stilled and she stood at the bedside instead of hovering. Her power flowed through him, memories flashing through his mind much like when he had peered into his tooth box those years before only many of these memories were sharper and more real, as if he was living the memories that passed before him; the most recent of them digging like blades into his mind, but dulled by Bunny's medicine that was seeping into him. Jack gasped as the memories flood in.

"She brought me here to save me from the sand wolves after..." He gulped, he was about to cry when he remembered seeing Pitch kiss her and the pain that had torn through him then tore into him now; he'd thought he'd lost her and then... she'd come after him after he swore he'd heard a scream... but maybe that was his imagination... no... the memory was crystal clear. He'd heard it.

"She... entered my dreams Tooth... to fight the darkness... She took the darkness away... I think... I... I remember only seeing the white light and then..." Tears streamed from his eyes.

"She absorbed the darkness!" He wept openly as he looked at her.

"Now she has to deal with more pain... Why didn't you let me bear it this time? Why?" Tooth smiled a bit sadly, she understood why... in an abstract way since she had never really been in love herself.

"Because she loves you Jack... She knew the risks... she took it anyway... that is true love." Jack just wept, unaware that his pain and suffering was jarring Mysterie awake.

"Please... I can't let her bear this on her own... I have to take Jakul back. She was right about the fact that they can't survive without a host... but I... I could find ways to fight him!" Jack struggled to get up, but she did her best to gently push him back; but as Jack struggled she knew she'd have to get help from Bunny and Sandy to put Jack back to sleep.

"What's all the racket?" Mysterie mumbled sleepily. Tooth gasped as Jack struggled harder as Bunny tried his best to get Jack to lie down to rest, the stress was very bad for him and at the moment was the reason he was hooked up to a heart monitor. Sandy would have knocked him out, but the Guardian of Dreams was busy elsewhere at the moment.

"M-mysterie!" Jack cried out with joy, Tooth looked at her with a smile.

"Welcome back to the land of the living."

"Really now... can't a person get some sleep?" She grumbled, cracking one eye open to look at the group she went on.

"Bunny... you aren't the best of nurses... you might want to get back to your eggs..." Bunny stopped trying to hold Jack still and looked at Jack sternly before letting him go.

"Mysterie." Jack wheezes out as he accidentally grazed his wound. Jack didn't care though as he simply stared at her happily, she could sense the joy radiating from him and Tooth smiled, leaving the two alone with Bunny hopping after her.

"How are you?" Jack asked and she rolled over onto her side to look at him, she looked beat.

"Well... a mite better than you I think... I wasn't bitten and poisoned... Your power... man it packs a wallop." Jack rubbed the back of his neck a little sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that... I was really scared ya know?" Jack looked at her with a serious expression.

"Mysterie, I know you'll be pissed a time for this ... but I need Jakul back; before you freak out here are the reasons why, one; he is a trigger for Shadow to take over, two; I don't want you to bear my burden and three, I love you." He looked into her eyes, waiting for an answer. Instead of getting mad as he had anticipated, she just sighed.

"I love you too, but it's not that easy to just give him back you know. He is more link with Shadow than before... I don't know if we can separate them... Doing so would be hard... especially since Shadow is so deeply intertwined with me now..." She lightly pressed her lips against his before pulling back a little.

"Jakul hasn't been a burden, I promise you that." Jakul began to list off all the things he thought that Jack should be doing to her at the moment instead of just talking, a few of his "suggestions" are bad enough that even a prostitute would blush; knowing full well that they could both hear him. Jack blushed furiously, particularly when he realized some of the suggestions were part of things he'd thought of himself.

"Um o-okay, but you can't keep taking the darkness away every time I scream and cry for help. I've learned to deal with it for 300 years and feel much better in the morning." She wanted to argue that he'd learned to do that only because he'd had to and he hadn't had anyone to help him, but instead she only sighed. Much as she wanted to protect him, she didn't have the strength to anymore... at least not from the nightmares. Trying to ignore Jakul's "little list" she muttered.

"THIS is what he gets for being tied to Shadow... who has seen it all..." She sighed a little and nuzzled against Jack with a second, tired, sigh. She could only be there for him when he woke up as the days turned into weeks. It grated on her, she hadn't felt this helpless since she'd been a mortal and that had been forever ago in her mind that she'd felt this useless because even when she'd still been human she'd managed to make herself helpful when she'd been an adult. It couldn't be helped though, she was constantly tired for the next few weeks, which kept her as much bedridden as Jack was by his wound. She was slightly better at being in one place though than he was, but the others would swear up and down that Jack was only staying in his bed because of her; even if he did complain a lot.


	5. There's Need and Then There's

Jack woke with a gasp.

"Huh, who, what?!" He yelled, unaware that it was Mysterie nudging him, at the same time end of his nightmare did the same; he looked at her and noticed how tired she looked.

"What's going on? What time is it?"

"You were yelling in your sleep again... I can't sleep with you making such noise." She replied, not bothering to answer the second question, as with as tired as she'd been lately and the oddness of her sleep it didn't really matter too much to her what time it was. She pressed a kiss to his neck lazily to reassure him that she wasn't mad or anything. He sighed, afraid to tell her what the nightmares were about and decides not to; knowing he will likely later get his ass kicked by her but for the moment it seemed worth it.

"Sorry." He said groggily, his eyes had the same black circles that were under hers, though his were from lack of sleep. Mysterie nuzzled gently against his neck, although she didn't feel as tired as she had the last few weeks she didn't want to move at this point if she didn't have to.

"Well... at least they won't continue for too much longer... Tooth says the effects should wear off in another few days." Jack sighed, drowsiness taking over as he fell asleep with her, but as soon as he did the nightmares came to him; this time the nightmare was of recent events, how he'd not been able to save her from Pitch.

"MYSTERIE!" Jack cried out into the darkness only to be attacked by Fearlings, Pitch's laughter ringing out.

"You can run, but you can't hide Jack."

"What do you want?!" Jack cried out in the nightmare.

"I want you, Jack, as well as to watch you suffer until you give into fear..." Mysterie sighed as Jack fell asleep before she did, she'd pretty much guessed what his nightmares were about and it was one reason she hadn't asked; but as much as she would love to help she was too weak from the power he had unleashed when she had pushed back the initial nightmares. She slipped an arm around his shoulders as he slept, minding the wound he'd sustained. Jack, in the throes of the nightmare, snarled at Pitch; fighting the slithering pieces of sand that were trying to capture him as he rang in the darkness only to see the bloody versions of the Guardians coming towards him. Shadow grabbed his arms as she emerged from the darkness behind him, whispering seductively into his ear.

"Quit fighting him Jack, just join Pitch and I'll leave Mysterie alone." Jack struggled uselessly, he was about to give in but he woke from the throbbing pain in his back and the sun's rays that were peaking over the mountains and through the window. Jack breathed shallowly, looking down at Mysterie and brushing some hair from her face, a smile crossing his own.

"I'd die for you, ya know that?" He murmured, not expecting an answer as he disentangled himself from her embrace to sit up more before easing off the bed to head for the bathroom. He knew Tooth would disapprove of him being out of bed, but he needed this; to know that he could still walk at least; he leaned against the bed, trying his best to stifle a whimper of pain that escaped him as the stitches of his wound stretched with his movement. He managed to use the wall and his staff for support to the bathroom before finally reaching it. Mysterie slept soundly in the bed until Jack moved from it, she began to stir a little. Jack sighed and winced a little in pain as he washed his hands in the bathroom, the water froze when he touched it and with a sigh at his lack of control of his freezing powers. He had hoped that wouldn't happen, he really had no need to wash his hands, it had just been something to do besides stare at himself in the mirror; which he hadn't looked into long despite knowing that Jakul wouldn't ever look back due to being tucked with Shadow inside Mysterie. Using the wall and his staff again, he made his way back to the bed, wincing every few steps as the wound continued to sting when he moved. Mysterie groaned, mumbling aloud.

"Yes, yes... I get it Jakul... Now shut up. It's not going to happen any time soon." Jack stopped at the side of the bed, looking down at her. _God you're __gorgeous._ Even though she looked a little rumpled from sleep, it didn't detract from how he saw her and he nearly groaned aloud when he realized he was slightly aroused by the sight.

_Oh god... why me?_ Jack nearly groaned when he caught sight of Tooth who had fluttered into the room and was now staring at him with her mouth slightly open at seeing him up at all. She instantly went into her "mother hen" mode as Jack gulped nervously.

"Jack! You're not supposed to be up! You're causing too much stress on the wound! How are you ever supposed to heal if you're up and about?" She helped him back into the bed and tucked him in.

"Now I expect you to not do that again. I'll be back later sweet tooth, Bunny will be coming in to check on you as well." Mysterie groaned, staring at the fairy as she tucked Jack back into the bed.

"TOOTH! You can't baby him like that! Or anyone for that matter... geez... Even HE needs some time in the privy... and you shouldn't be following him about for THAT... Besides, you're just giving me a headache..." Normally a spirit had no need for such a thing, but while healing... well, that was a different matter. Tooth backed away for the moment, hurt flickering in her eyes briefly.

"I-I'm sorry Jack... sorry Mysterie." Jack looked at her with sympathy while Mysterie rubbed her eyes with a yawn.

"It's okay Tooth, you just get carried away a little." She smiled.

"Thanks Jack." She fluttered off and Jack groaned quietly into his pillow at the fact of being babied, that Mysterie seemed annoyed, the god damn pain of his wound and, on top of it all, the arousal that he just couldn't get rid of at the moment without getting out of bed again.

"Sorry Myst." He muttered, missing the slight smile that tugged at her lips. She waited until the door shut behind Tooth before there was a 'click' as the door locked behind the fairy thanks to a small strand of silver sand; she began chuckling softly before murmuring.

"Do you really think I'd be irritated at just that? I had to get her out of the room some how..." She skimmed one hand along Jack's side.

"She might get a little carried away, but she is more obtuse than Jakul was about Shadow before they melded. Jack hummed in reply as he played with a strand of Mysterie's hair, feeling himself get drowsy; after all, he hadn't slept well for the whole week. He shivered at her touch, muttering.

"Damn it to hell." He glanced at the growing tent in his pants before kissing Mysterie and pushing himself up to get out of the bed again, to do so without crying in pain was quite a challenge. After a lot of effort he managed to get himself back to the bathroom.

"God... finally." He muttered only to see he'd been beaten to the bathroom by Mysterie who was floating on a cloud of silver sand.

"Oh no... I'm not making this that easy..." She gave him a small, seductive smile before leaning over the edge of the cloud she was sitting on to press her lips to his. Jack closed his eyes, leaning into the kiss and wrapping his arms around her; forgetting about his staff, which the sand set against the wall nearby as Mysterie lightly rested her hands on his sides, mindful of his wound. She kept her hands away from it as she lightly stroked his sides. Jack gasped as her hands stroked his sensitive side near his stomach.

"M-mysterie... m-more lower to the left." He begged slightly, unable to believe how good her touch felt. She pulled Jack onto the sand cloud with her, allowing for freer movement without injuring him further. She slid her hand lightly along his stomach,slipping her hand beneath his hoodie to lightly stroke said spot as she nipped lightly at his neck. Jack shivered in pleasure, the tent in his pants growing tight; she stroked his skin with her nails, purring softly in her throat. Jack groaned in pleasure at the light contact, kissing her deeply; slipping in his tongue to explore her mouth. She returned the kiss, pulling him closer as she groaned in delight and pleasure; trembling a little as it seemed like it had been forever since he'd kissed her like that. Jack breathed into her ear a suggestion that made her shiver and flush even as the tent in his pants only grew tighter.

"I love you so much." He murmured as he slowly slid his hand down her back and over the curve of her bottom. She pressed closer to him with a whimper, more than willing as she nipped at his lips, murmuring.

"I love you."


	6. Never Far

"I love you." Jack murmured before he kissed Mysterie once more, shifting to gently pull out. He blushed blue at the mess the two of them had made of the sheets, particularly since the sand cloud had drifted to the bed and had burst at some point.

"Um... I should take care of those." Jack said and she chuckled.

"Don't worry about that, I got it." Silver sand swirled about, dealing with the mess and unlocking the door again.

"Well, I feel much better." Jack settled beside her, playing with her hair with one hand and thinking about the past few days as he did. She smiled.

"I think I read once that such activities are actually good for one's overall health. It was true when we were alive... can't imagine why it'd change now." She snuggled against him, pulling a blanket over them both, just in case. Jack sighed in contentment only to have that broken by an incessant voice whispering things into his ear. He sits up, looking around but seeing nothing he lays back down again.

"Do you hear the whispering?" Mysterie frowned a little. Whispering?

"No." Jack shook his head, thinking maybe it was just his lack of sleep and he turns to her, kissing her as he wraps his arms around her before he falls asleep, all the while the voice gets slightly louder. She smiled, watching him as he falls asleep before she drifted off herself; Jakul stirred, the mention of voices unceasing even him, though Shadow distracted them both... the two can only wonder what Jack meant by "whispering" that even they did not hear. Jack tossed and turned in his sleep as the beginning of a dream took hold of his mind. At first things seemed fine, he was sitting with Mysterie at a picnic.

_"Mysterie." He smiled as she turned towards him, smiling and the two kiss chastely. When he turned to look at the sunset, however._

_"Give in." Jack turned back to her, not sure what it was she'd said exactly._

_"What?"_

_"I said, give in Jack. You'll love the darkness." Ever so slowly Mysterie was changed into Shadow._

_"NO!" Smirking, she wrapped Jack into a cocoon of sand; Jack fought it fruitlessly as inklings of dark sand surrounded him; engulfing him in pitch black darkness._

_"I won't give in! I won't!"_

"Jack?" Mysterie muttered groggily, pulled from her own dreams by his tossing.

"No, l-leave me alone! I w-won't g-give in!" Jack screamed out in his sleep, tears streaming down his face as he struggled against nothing, but to him in the dream he was struggling against the darkness. Blinking awake, Mysterie gently shook his arm, trying to pull him from the nightmare.

"Jack, wake up." Jack struggled and the nightmare ended as a blood curdling, bone rattling scream was torn from his throat. Mysterie looked at him in concern as he finally opened his eyes; she was worried... really worried. Jack breathed heavily as his eyes darted around the room in search of the darkness that had assaulted him in the dream before his terrified blue eyes landed on Mysterie.

"It's okay... I-I'm fine." Jack said, trying to get control of himself as he turned on his side, ending the nonexistent discussion of the nightmare. Mysterie wanted to ask him about it, but she didn't any more than she had asked him before in the days previous when she had woken him from the grip of a nightmare. She did hug him close though in attempt to soothe him a little. Slowly, ever so slowly, Jack's eyes closed again; braving what ever would come to him in his sleep; in a window nearby a nightmare swarm danced about with Pitch among them with a smile. Pitch's satisfaction didn't last long though when he was spotted by Tooth, who promptly drove him and the nightmares off with her blades. Mysterie didn't notice Pitch only because she was lost in thought as she looked at Jack.

Morning came all too soon, Jack woke up and he was like a dead man as he had black circles beneath his eyes and his pale skin was paler than normal. He groaned as ached hit him and nothing felt right. Mysterie was standing by the door when Jack woke up, quietly talking to Tooth who looked rather worried when she glanced over to him, unaware he was awake, and squeaked a little too loudly.

"Are you sure?" Mysterie murmured a reply even as she indicated that Tooth shouldn't be so loud. Jack bumped into the door nearby, not realizing where he was going once he was up. He tried to cover up his sleepy state with a smile so neither of them would worry.

"Hey guys, what are you talking about?" Jack asks before stifling a yawn. Mysterie stiffened slightly in a mix of surprise and something else, but she didn't reply while Tooth turned to him in surprise then smiled.

"Oh, well we were just talking about Bunny's new chocolate." She said a little hastily, not noticing Mysterie's reaction, but knowing the other spirit didn't really want to say anything yet... and it wasn't an outright lie... Tooth had told her about that at some point before she'd confided in the fairy a theory of hers. Jack smiled, unaware.

"Alright, well I'm gonna go check on the old Kangaroo anyways." He flew out the nearest window towards the Warren. The two watch him leave.

"You should tell him." She gave the fairy a deadpan look.

"Right... because it would go over **so** well for him to know that he nearly killed me when I went to face the nightmares from the poison."

"But you said that it would-"

"I said it MIGHT. There's no guarantee that it would succeed and even if it did... who is to say I'd live through it? He wasn't even trying that time Tooth... and with Pitch stalking him at night..." She shook her head, Tooth had told her about that too.

"He doesn't need the added stress." Tooth sighed, but doesn't argue further. Bunny was busy making final preparations for Easter, which was tomorrow, adding to each basket an extra touch with the extra eggs he had; he smiled as he finished on specific basket that was blue in color and had snowflakes decorating some of the eggs. All too soon his nose picked up the familiar scent of mint and snow and he immediately hid the basket from sight as he turned to look at Jack with a slightly angry expression, but decided not to yell at his fellow Guardian since he was still wounded; he hated it when Jack tried sneaking up on him, as the winter spirit often tried. Jack smiled at the Pooka, "Easter Kangaroo" seeing that he was painting some eggs when Jack found him, he looked around at all the prepared eggs; there were thousands.

"Wow, you're prepared aren't you?" Bunny looked at him, growling slightly.

"Well, what are ya coin' here? Don't ya remember I told ya not to come here while I"m preparin' fer Easter?" The words slightly wounded Jack, reminding him a little too much of the Easter he'd unintentionally ruined years ago... A whisper in his ear told Jack to show the Pooka "what for" but he ignored it, surprised at what he was actually thinking. He could never hurt Bunny on purpose. Bunny grunted a little when Jack didn't answer.

"What are ya even doin' outta bed? Didn't North an' Tooth confine ya to bed until ya at least had them stitches out?"

"Well, they let me go." Jack looked at Bunny as he heard the whispering voice whisper terrible things and suggestions, his smile faltered, which didn't go unnoticed. Bunny raised an eyebrow.

"Somethin' wrong? You don't look like you should be up an' about to me. Maybe 'nother day's rest will fix that." Jack looked at him, shaking his head.

"Nah, I'm fine." Jack noticed a couple of the eggs with legs cuddling next to his feet. Bunny looked at him in a no-nonsense way, meaning he wasn't going to be brushed off so easily with the answer Jack had given him. Jack gave him a challenging smirk that said 'try it, see what happens' but before Jack could take off a screech sounded in his head and he couldn't help but cover his head as it continued getting louder and louder along with the whispering voices. Jack collapsed, crying out in pain before he passed out. Pitch watched, hidden in the shadows with a smirk.

"It works." He chuckled lowly, turning his gaze to the nightmares.

"Continue with the nightmares til he is in the palm of our hands. Make sure Mysterie doesn't get in the way this time."

"Jack!" Bunny didn't hesitate to run to the winter spirit's side when he collapsed.

"Mate... what's wrong? Speak ta me!" The Pooka's eyes were wide with concern and an inkling of fear. Back at the North Pole, Jakul screeched in pain, causing Mysterie to cry out.

"Jakul... what the?! What's wrong?!" She didn't understand why he was suddenly in so much pain, only knowing that it was just as painful to her to hear it.


	7. Into the Dark Deep

"Jack! Wake up!" Jack couldn't see anything but darkness and a silky voice that told him to give in while another told him to wake up. He didn't like the first voice but he realized that he was leaning towards giving in and the screeching stopped. That was all he knew.

"Wake up! Come on mate, wake up!" Jack cried out in pain as bright white lights greeted his eyes before he closed them again, he slowly opened them after a moment again to find that everything around him was blurry and unfocused. He realized he was on a bed as his eyes began to refocus and that focus was on Bunny. His voice was raw and raspy when he spoke, as if he'd screamed for hours as he looked around, trying to figure out where he was. The room was a soft white, like the snow that was falling outside and there were other beds that had white sheets like the one that he was lying on; a yeti was stocking supplies in a nearby cabinet.

"Here..." Bunny handed Jack a cups that had a strange, brown liquid in it, but it actually tasted good for once. The Pooka's eyes were filled with what seemed to be relief. Jack drank the liquid, it strangely tasted like vanilla.

"How long have I been out?" His brain felt like it was pulsing, a headache forming.

"God my head hurts." He looked from Bunny to see that all the Guardians were standing around him.

"Coupla hours mate. Ya gave me a right scare."

"Sorry, I don't know what happened. All I remember was a ringing noise and then nothing." He looked at the group, feeling self conscious and woozy from the medicine. He fell back into a sleep soon afterward.

"It's Pitch." Mysterie said, having been standing back from the group as they'd ringed around Jack's bed. She'd been watching the others, only Tooth didn't seem surprised when they turned to face her, moving away to allow Jack to sleep.

"Tooth drove him away the other night. I'm surprised she didn't tell any of you... We can't leave Jack alone." They glanced at Tooth who gave them a sheepish shrug before they turned back to Mysterie as she moved over to Jack, sprinkling golden sand over him to ensure peaceful dreams.

"I don't know what he plans... but we should be on guard."

"We? Mate... you can barely even summon enough of your sand to lock a door, let alone fight." I sigh, not too surprised that Bunny had noticed the locked door the other day.

"I know... but there's no choice. I was the one who agreed ears ago to be Jack's guardian... even if I'm not really one of you." Bunny snorted a little.

"Might as well be much as ya hang around here." Mysterie wasn't sure what to say to that as North shared a meaningful look with Sandy and then looked at Mysterie. She knew that look.

"Maybe when this is all over North... but not now. Besides... I don't think Jack would want to miss that." They all nodded, glancing over to Jack again; they were reluctant to lead to get back to their duties but each of them did except for Mysterie and Sandy; Sandy dozed nearby while Mysterie sat on the edge of the bed. _What are you after Pitch? What could you hope to gain?_

The peaceful dream didn't last long before he was pulled into another nightmare.

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Jack screamed at the dark sand creatures that were closing in on him.

"You, Jack. Give in, become one with the darkness." The voices whispered non-stop as Jack cried in fear as he felt slithers of darkness wrapping around his legs slowly and he screamed when he noticed that he was in a pool of living black liquid that was engulfing him.

"NO! STOP PLEASE! I DON'T WANT THIS!" Then he heard Shadow's voice, but there was a nasty tinge to it.

"Oh, but it is Jack. You want to destroy them. The Guardians, to show them you're not a tool to use." Slowly at first, fire rapidly spread on his body and Jack screamed in pain, the scream torn from his throat as he thrashed in the infirmary bed in the throes of the nightmare. Jack was swallowed whole by the black liquid that forced itself down his throat. He screeched with no sound as the tendrils forced their way into his body.

"JACK!" Mysterie reached out to stop the nightmare only to screech in pain, as if burned, when the Nightmare that was created from the dark dreams slammed into her instead; Sandy is jolted awake only to be distracted from Mysterie by other Nightmares that appear, leaving her to deal with the one that sent her flying. Jack struggled as he was drawing int he squirming masses of darkness, a velvety silk voice hushed him.

"Don't fight it Jack. Let it take over, you'll love being dark. Come on... that's it... succumb to it." Jack slowly closed his eyes, falling deeper into the darkness.

"Jack!" Mysterie struggled to get up, sand snapping at the Nightmare that was holding her down and it disappeared as it exploded but more and more of them arrived. Mysterie scrambled to Jack's side, silver whips in hand to drive the Nightmares back, but they just kept coming and even with the other Guardians joining the fight it doesn't look good. She stood on the bed, keeping herself between Jack and the Nightmares even as she heard a familiar cackle.

"I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you finally brought to your knees dream walker..." Mysterie stared up at Pitch, eyes widening a little. Nightmares were one thing, but did she have the strength to take on Pitch? Jack slowly goes through a change, falling under Pitch's control; his hair turned as black as the night save for a single white strip on his left side, his skin darkened to a gray and his hoodie darkened until it was black with black ice skittering along it where there had once been just frost. The tan pants also darkened to a dark gray. Pitch smirked, Jack was under his full control.

"Jack, wake up." He purred and instantly Jack's eyes snapped open, they were no longer the brilliant blue Mysterie had come to love, but a red orange that looked at her with no emotion in them; they were simply blank, almost soulless in a way. She could only stare down at him, not sure what it was she felt, but it hurt... it hurt a lot... She turned her gaze back to Pitch, anger sparking there as she roared in absolute fury.

"PITCH!" Ignoring the cries of the other Guardians, she summoned her sand to fly at Pitch, her doubts about whether or not she could take on the shade forgotten. All she could think then was that she'd been too lenient before when she had "punished" him for going after Jack... This time she intended to make sure that the shade was afraid of even his own shadow. Before she could reach him, Jack was forced to interfere, pain shooting through him as he tried to still fight, but he couldn't control his body anymore and ice slammed into Mysterie's back even as Jack cried inwardly, tears leaking from his unblinking, red orange eyes. She halted where she was at and spun about, staring at Jack. Her hands balled into fists... she couldn't hurt him and glanced away, but it was a ploy as a thread of silver sand crept up to lash at Pitch in the shape of an arrow. Pitch growls, snapping his fingers and Nightmares take the brunt of the attack to keep him safe. He smirked at her.

"We should be going now. Come Jack." He smirked darkly as Jack followed blankly like a puppy following its master. The nightmares whinny, sniffing at him and licking his hands as if they were his puppies as the two of them were engulfed in black sand. It dissipated and Jack and Pitch are gone.


	8. A Dark Deed

The Guardians were too busy fighting off the invading Nightmares to stop Mysterie as she flew straight out of the nearest window and headed straight for Pitch's lair. She wasn't going to give up on Jack. He was her reason for living, for being; whatever reason Manny had for bringing her back to be an immortal no one knew for certain, but even if there was a different reason for her being she was Jack's protector first and foremost because the winter spirit held her heart. As she flew off to the arctic she plunged into a cavern, one of many of the other entrances that Pitch had around the world and she had seen when she had been his captive before, Jack struggled inwardly against Pitch's influence; slowly he began to wonder the reason as to why he was even fighting Pitch. The Boogeyman smiled, looking into the red orange eyes as they stood in the throne room a few feet from the actual throne. He circled around Jack who just stood still.

"Now to test my control... Jack, who do you serve?" Jack fought for his body to listen, but it was like his voice was on auto pilot, answering without him wanting to.

"You, master." Pitch smirked at the word 'master.'

"And who are our enemies?" Automatically Jack was forced to reply with words that were not his own.

"The Guardians." Pitch smirked as he stopped before Jack.

"Aaand?" Despite Pitch's control, there was hesitation as Jack fought even harder to not answer. Pitch frowned at that and he snapped his fingers. Jack collapsed as pain convulsed through him.

"I can see how much you love her, Jack, but you're going to do me a favor and end her." Jack's eyes widened in terror. Mysterie found the trip was exhausting, but she reached the lair.

"Pitch... you're going to regret this." She hissed, not having the strength to do much more, having ended several Nightmares as she fought her way through the lair; it was a trial just to get this deep into the lair. She was worn out and it was evident, but her eyes shone with determination... She didn't have the boundless recourses that she had on the dream plane. She wasn't going to stop though. Jack struggled as darkness seemed to climb up his neck, forcing its way inside him and he screamed as the darkness moved and squirmed in him. His eyes glowing brighter as Pitch managed to gain full control.

"Now, I have a job for you Jack." He smirked and whispered to some of the Nightmares to follow behind me without being noticed before turning back to Jack, fully indented to tell him to find Mysterie and bring her to him. Mysterie searched the lair for the two, snapping whips at any Nightmares that came too close to her before coming to the throne room where Pitch turned with a smile.

"Ha ha... it's a pleasant surprise to see you here dear." Pitch snickered as did the Nightmares around him.

"Oh Jack, looks like you have a visitor." He called and Jack came from the darkness, leaping from one of the cages above, emotionless as before; as if he were a machine that was only there to follow orders. His eyes snapping to Pitch who smirks. Mysterie shook with fury, but said nothing in return; though it was an effort to stay standing at this point for her for many reasons... the exhaustion, the sorrow that was threatening to overwhelm her, the whispering voices of Jakul and Shadow...

"Now my dear, I believe Jack and I have some Guardians to destroy." Jack looked at Pitch, awaiting orders, not even acknowledging Mysterie's presence.

"Master, what are my orders?" Pitch smiled at Jack then smirked darkly at Mysterie.

"First, get rid of this dream walking pest." Jack turned to her, eyes instantly flashing with orange fire as he called ice and snow; the wind whispering "sorry" as it slammed Mysterie into the nearest wall of the lair. She whispers back in return.

"It's okay... it's not your fault..." A tear slipped down her face even as she picked herself up. A sand spear appearing in her hand and she tossed it at Pitch despite that her eyes didn't leave Jack. Pitch growled as he destroyed the spear.

"Get rid of her! Now!" Jack cried and screamed on the inside even as the wind sent ice cutting into her and ice spikes shot from his staff; several missed as she dodged the attack, but one slid into her left arm, causing her to cry out in pain. There were tears leaking from the unblinking orange eyes as Jack struggled, it was hard just to utter the words he managed.

"M-mysterie... I-I'm... sorry..." With that, Jack lost control again and used the winds to make a snow storm vortex that surrounded the two of them, making it impossible for her to strike at Pitch a second time and trapping her at the same time. He summoned ice daggers that hung in the air a moment, slashing into her at his command as the wind slammed them into her.

"I don't blame you..." She whispered before the ice daggers slammed into her, she cried out as the daggers cut her, quietly crying as the sand she commanded tried to keep up with all of the wounds, but it's difficult with so many of the daggers and she barely had the will to push Shadow back into the back of her mind. Jakul is oddly silent. Jack screamed a war cry, the only other think he did as the pain hit him as he summoned a final blow, ice magic pouring from him and slamming into Mysterie; the power increasing with each passing moment and everything went white for a brief moment before the surroundings came back into focus. The ice magic cut deeply into Mysterie, Shadow and Jakul shrieked in her mind, but their shrieks were silenced suddenly as the pain rippled through her and she let out a shriek of pain before she seemed to just explode into millions and millions of silver dust particles. They glisten in the dim light as they float down, decorating everything around them. Inside, Jack broke from the black liquid that was holding him and his eyes became blue once more.

"MYSTERIE!" Jack's scream echoed in the large area, all of his pain went into it as Jack ran to the spot where Mysterie had once stood; collapsing to his knees before the spot, tears pouring from his eyes as he began to cry hard.

"No! Why me?! WHY me?!" Jack cried loudly, all his anguish for Mysterie poured into the words and he collapsed from fatigue. Pitch picked up Jack with black sand.

"Tsk tsk Jack, you seem to have tired out. Well, let's get you to bed for now." He pulled Jack with him into the nearby shadows to place him into a room similar to the room that Shadow had once taken him to before, though this one had a real door. Laying the unconscious winter spirit on the black silk sheets before disappearing.


	9. Rescue

The Guardians, having finished dealing with the Nightmares, headed off to Pitch's lair to retrieve Jack and Mysterie, unaware of what had taken place. Pitch snickered when the Guardians entered the throne room where he sat.

"Well, if it isn't the Guardians. What brings you here?" He smiled at the glares that met him. Bunny closed the distance first, keeping several feet between him and Pitch still.

"Where's Jack?!" He snarled. Pitch smirked.

"He's resting at the moment. He'll be out to play later. Seems he's spent his energy dealing with what you see before you." He gestured to the silver sand that was covering one wall of his lair. Tooth covered her mouth in horror as the meaning of what Pitch was saying sank in. Tears came to her eyes, North paled, Sandy's eyes widened; Bunny just roared in rage, running full speed towards the shade, throwing multiple egg bombs while North recovered only to feel anger surge in him as he launched himself forward only for Pitch to disappear as they attacked from opposing sides and smacked North and Bunny smacked into one another, the two grunting in pain.

"Well, I'll see you later Guardians. I have a frost spirit to tend to." Sandy was the only one who didn't seem to react to Pitch as he moved over to the silver dust, he picked some of it up; it was glowing very faintly, making the many grains look a lot like tiny stars. The little Guardian started collecting the sand as North and Bunny tried to fight Pitch, the little man thinking something, but the others are too distracted to notice as they charge the shade. Nightmares surge to distract the Guardians while Pitch disappeared in the shadows, heading for the room to put a stronger hold over Jack.

"Oh, such sweet dreams Jack... let's fix that shall we?" He touched Jack's forehead, his once happy face turning into a frown as he whimpered in pain and fear, finally screaming until he stopped moving. Crying as his eyes snapped open and they were orange red once more.

"Hello Jack, have a good rest? Now, the Guardians are here, let's show them what the new you can do." Jack nodded and followed Pitch from the room. The Guardians had wiped out the Nightmares minutes later, searching the darkness for more but not finding any.

"Let's find Jack!" Bunny said and the group moved to search the area, though their spirits are a little down from what none of them wanted to believe to be true... As they searched for Jack, Pitch whispered something into Jack's ear and he nodded, tapping his staff to open a shadow tunnel that would allow him to travel through the shadows. He laughed like his normal self to get their attention when he arrived in the same tunnel they were currently searching.

"Frostbite? I know ya'r here, where are ya?" Bunny asked as the Guardians stood back to back, searching the darkness for their comrade.

"You shouldn't be here." Jack said from the darkness, Tooth seems to be terrified though what of exactly is hard to say.

"Why Jack?" North asked, stabbing one saber into the ground.

"Jack, come out. We're only here to help!" Jack snickered.

"I don't need help. Pitch showed me it's better to live in darkness."

"Jack... you... you can't do this! What would she thing?!" Tooth cried out, about to burst into tears; her eyes glistening with them as she remembered what Mysterie had told her what seemed like a lifetime ago though it had only been hours... The others stare at Tooth in surprise, the fairy is terrified and yet she seemed to find the nerve to speak.

"Is it not enough that you-" She choked on the words, she couldn't say it... not yet... Her throat clenched, instead she pushed on as if she'd actually spoken the words she didn't even want to think.

"Do you have to dishonor her memory too?!" Jack's eyes went wide, flashing blue in pain as realization of what he'd done slammed into him, Jack began to breathe heavily, shaking violently as he pulled at the black hair that he wished was white, but the darkness latched on again.

"SHUT UP!" His eyes flashed dangerously and he slipped from the darkness, pointing his staff and preparing to fire on his command, the shadow he controlled then mimicked his movement while Pitch watched the event with smiling glee.

"Mate... we all know how much you loved her... Just.. please... don't do this. Come back." Bunny said, surprisingly soft. Jack's eyes faded back to blue again and his grip on the shadow was gone; he lowered his staff, tears falling and clinking to the floor as Jack fell to his knees, wailing in sorrow of what he'd done. Pitch growled from behind him.

"Finish them now, Jack." Jack looked at Pitch and shook his head no. Pitch snarled, grabbing his hair.

"You should learn not to disobey me Jack." Jack writhed in pain as a searing ache went through his body and he cried out. Bunny snarled and he and the others charged at Pitch. Tooth reached Pitch first, forcing him to let go of Jack as her sabers flashed against his sand scythe; Bunny launched a few egg bombs as cover to snatch Jack while North charged in with his sabers and Sandy - having finished collecting most of the silver sand, kept Pitch busy with his sand whips while Bunny headed for the exit, holding onto Jack.


	10. Haunted

Jack shivered, unaware of what was going on, only aware of the burning pain that was coursing through his body that expanded and continued growing until he was screeching so loud that that it hurt even his ears. He shook his head, covering his ears, trying to get it to stop only to eventually pass out from the pain alone. Bunny headed back to the pole with the others not far behind; after Fearlings entered the fray and forced them to retreat. Bunny put Jack in a bed, but the bed he chose was on the other side of the room, away from the two that were still pushed together. His ears drooped, one on each side of his head, as he allowed his feelings on the events of today to finally take hold. The other three were just as dispirited, if not more so when they joined him in the infirmary; the four quietly mourning in their own way. Two hours later, Jack groaned in pain and gasped for air as if he had never breathed before, it snapped his eyes open and he looked around, noticing that he was back in the infirmary at the pole. He didn't remember anything that had happen until a few minutes later, when it sliced through his mind and he gasped, realizing again what he had done... been forced to do.

"No..." It was all he could whisper before letting out all his anger at Pitch, his pain and suffering into one long scream; the weather outside mimicked his turbulent emotions by whipping up a blizzard that had never been seen before at the North Pole. The energy it cost made him slump forward, breathing heavily from the energy he lost from his emotions and from what it had cost to create such a storm. Tooth fluttered over to him, settling behind him. She wrapped her arms around him, holding him close; the others were scattered around the room, none of them able to look at Jack as they dealt with the loss of a friend and ally. Sandy was the furthest, settling on the other side of the room as he seemed to be watching over the sand he'd collected that lay on a blanket on the floor at the foot of the two beds that were pushed together; the blankets still ruffled as if the occupants were expected to be back soon. Jack struggled against her hold, not wanting the comfort knowing that he didn't deserve it. He sobbed hardly, trying all the while to push Tooth away, but she relinquish her hold.

"P-please I-I..." He couldn't even finish his sentence as more guilt hit him like a ton of bricks, he'd hurt his friends... He sobbed harder, turning to hug tooth tightly, burying his face into her feathers, icing them thoroughly. Tooth only held him tighter, not noticing the cold much.

"It's okay Jack..." She murmured softly as she lightly stroked his back and hair, doing her best to comfort him though she knew that her attempts weren't enough. Jack cried until exhaustion claimed him, all the while that he slept the Guardians discussed what to do about Pitch for the moment and who would stay with Jack during the time since he was mostly likely his target again. After a lot of discussion it's decided that Tooth and Sandy are the best choices; Sandy being able to take the most watch and Tooth because she could send her fairies to do most of her work. Jack awoke from another nightmare that Sandy thought he'd stopped, but this one was a replay memory of Mysterie's death; something that couldn't be changed. Tears leak from the corners of Jack's eyes but he wiped them away, flicking the frozen tears to the floor which made a soft think noise as it hits the floor. He decided to see how bad he looks in the mirror, knowing that Mysterie wouldn't want him to give up; so he decided to honor that and put up a fake facade again, knowing that she'd hate that he chose to bottle up his emotions again, but it was the best that he could do for now. He goes over to the bathroom and looks in the mirror, he barely recognizes the disheveled person with dark circles under their eyes that peered back at him, eyes red rimmed from crying and though his hair was white once more, there was a black streak on his left side, where the white streak had been when his hair had been black. It was the only thing that reminded him that he couldn't get rid of the control that Pitch had over him, but he still felt as if something was not right with him. He splashed warm water on his face, desiring the painful effects; only thinking that he deserved it as it both slightly weakened and burned him, it made him feel much better though and he went back to the bed. He wasn't quite ready to face any of the other Guardians, he decided to leave the pole for a bit even though he knew that they'd hunt him down.

Jack's assumption was right, as soon as Tooth had discovered that Jack was gone when she'd gone to check up on him the Guardians had left the pole and split off to find him. Sandy didn't join the other three, to the puzzlement of the others; he seemed obsessed with the silver sand he collected from Pitch's lair that gave off a constant, if faint, glow. Jack flew over Burgess, ignoring the insistent nagging of the wind to go back.

"Stop, I'm fine." Jack looked down at the pond, it was his pond and he could see children were happily playing on it; his magic having kept it solid enough to hold a herd of elephants. A smile came to his face when he saw Jamie walking towards Pippa's house, he shook his head though as seeing the pond also meant seeing the ice "cavern" he'd made for himself and that had been a temporary home for him and Mysterie in the early spring five years ago... Memories of her began to flow into him and he took control of the wind, pushing to go down to the pond as the children left for the day. He looked at his reflection in the pond's ice, ignoring anything and everything around him. With a sigh he decided to sleep in his favorite tree, sitting at the trunk's base as he settled against it into a sitting position, staff in hand just in case... Pitch was still a little weak from the fight with the Guardians, he wasn't about to admit it, but it had taken a lot out of him just to turn Jack and then there'd been the fight with the Guardians... blast them! He'd ben contemplating following Jamie and regaining some strength when instead he noticed a shadow from above and glance up fro the shadow of the tree he'd been standing under. A smirk crossed his features and instead he followed Jack. Seeing the boy sleeping sitting up he moved to stand behind him, beneath the tree and drawing upon his reserves he began to spin a delicious nightmare for the winter spirit. Jack was dreaming of Mysterie and the Guardians.

_Jack grinned as his friends tossed a frisbee towards him, he caught it and tossed it towards Tooth who caught it and tossed it to North. They were all grinning, even Bunny as he caught the frisbee before tossing it to Sandy. Jack turned to see Mysterie and he tackled her, laughing all the way as the two of them tumbled into the grassy field. He smiled, seeing her beautiful emerald eyes. He threaded one hand through her silver highlighted, chestnut brown hair. Barely noticing that the other Guardians seemed to simply disappear and it was just the two of them, laying together on the field, the night sky above with Manny shining brightly._

_"You're so beautiful Mysterie." He murmured, looking over at her as they sat side by side. She smiled, her eyes shining with love as she turned to look at him but that changed to fear suddenly as the night suddenly became darker and there were Nightmares everywhere. Jack glanced around, eyes wide suddenly when he felt something in his hand. He glanced down to find that it was blood and he glanced to Mysterie fearfully. She was bleeding and in his other hand was an ice dagger that dripped with her blood. There was fear and disbelief in the emerald eyes that met his._

_"Why?" It was all she said before dissolving into sand, leaving a small puddle of blood and sand behind while Nightmares reared, though none of them attacked._

_"No... what have I done?!" Jack collapsed into the puddle, looking at his bloodied hands as the Nightmares nickered, as if laughing..._

Jack tossed and turned, whimpering and shouting out, eventually screaming so loud that he woke himself up, his breathing was heavy as he looked around at the darkness of the night reminded him too much of the dream and he pulled his hood up to cover his head, pulling some strands of his hair out.

"What am I gonna do?" Jack whispered despairingly, he didn't feel that he fit in anywhere anymore; what sort of Guardian was he if he couldn't keep the darkness inside of him in check... who had killed the very person who meant the most to him? It made his heart throb. He didn't know it, but a rather ticked off Sandy was homing in on his location. Sandy was steamed that he'd been taken away from the silver sand; in fact he'd made Bunny stand guard over it as he'd gone in search of Jack with Tooth and he'd made sure Bunny would stay too. Although, his anger cooled a little when he noticed some black sand near Jack. He looked around, but Pitch was nowhere in sight; the Boogeyman had beat it as soon as Jack had awoken. Sandy felt slight concern, was Pitch nearby? It didn't seem so, but he was still a little ticked at Jack for taking off like that. Depressed or not, Jack needed watching until they could deal with Pitch; he landed in front of Jack, letters forming even as he scowled:

I know you're sad Jack, but one... you should have a bit more faith and two do you even realize how vulnerable you are to Pitch? Did what happen not spell that out for you? Until we deal with him you are to STAY put at the POLE... I have my hands full as it is and here you are running off like a petulant child! I expect you to get back there and STAY there until further notice... is that clear?

Jack nodded his head even as tears fell to the ground, the usual sound muffled by the dirt. He stood up and flew up, ignoring the other Guardian as he headed back to the pole slowly, but still a good pace ahead of Sandy. The other Guardian followed him back, sighing slightly; once back he shooed Bunny away from the sand. Bunny gave Sandy a strange look, but the golden Guardian doesn't explain.

"I donno what's up with that... but it's gotten brighter mate." Bunny said before he hopped away. Sandy inspected the sand and found that his friend was right, the sand was glowing brighter than it was before. Jack settled near a window, looking out; thinking only about what he should have done._ I SHOULD HAVE FOUGHT HIM HARDER!_ He mentally screamed at himself. Tooth arrived to try and comfort him when she noticed that he seemed out of it.

"Leave me alone!" Jack snapped, but blinked in surprise almost as soon as the words had left his mouth. Tooth flinched, but she didn't blame him for the outburst, it was too soon for him to have recovered over what had happened the night before. No matter how old she got, the pain of losing someone... even someone who had been a friend and ally for such a short time, was still the same.

"I'm sorry Tooth... I didn't mean to take it out on you... I just..." She gave him a small smile and he turned away from her to look out the window again, ignoring the glowing sand that Sandy seemed so interested in and that Bunny had agreed to watch over for... whatever the reason was Jack didn't care. Tooth fluttered over to Sandy, who is carefully watching the glowing sand. Bunny didn't bother glaring at Jack for snapping at Tooth, instead he hopped over to the winter spirit, gave his shoulder a quick squeeze in sympathy before hopping off to see if he couldn't find something to do with North to get his mind off things.

"Sandy, what exactly is this sand?" Tooth asked quietly. Sandy glanced up at the question, his silent answer with his own sand had the fairy just staring.

"Why did you collect it then? It's just a painful remi-" She cut herself off when Sandy's symbols flickered rapidly over his head.

"Slow down, please, I don't think I get all of that." Sandy huffed a little and repeated himself, slower this time. Tooth was silent a good long time, glancing between Sandy and then Jack and back again before speaking.

"You... you really think so?" Sandy nodded.

"I hope you're right... for his sake." Sandy nodded sadly in agreement. Jack grabbed his staff as the two were talking, deciding to get up to do something. He flew out of the room, not straying far as he found some elves and instantly his mind went to mischief. He froze a couple solid and stuck them to the ceiling, chuckling only for a moment as it took his mind of things. The elves that he didn't freeze scattered out of the way, North was checking on a toy design nearby when he froze the elves; he just shook his head though. A tiny smile on his lips at the sound of Jack's laughter and he decided to let it slide, all things considered; though he would have to get the yetis to get the elves down... Eventually Jack got bored and decided to find something else to do. As he was walking along one of the many halls, familiar whispers returned to him.

"It's your fault..." Jack winced as the voice kept repeating it over and over.

"Please leave me alone..." Jack murmured and it finally ended with a flash of memory of what he'd done, pain lanced through him as it began it repeat of Jack attacking the Guardians as well as killing Mysterie.

"Just give in..." The voice taunted, Jack gasped because this time the voice sounded like Mysterie. He looked around, tears falling and clinking as they hit the floor, frozen, as he headed back to the room that was his; too tired suddenly to want to be awake. When he reached the room, he couldn't help thinking that the room was so empty without Mysterie in it and he fell asleep almost as soon as he lay down, for once his dreams weren't plagued by Pitch's Nightmares as Sandy's sand drifted into the room to give him good dreams.


End file.
